Treatment of hydrocarbon oils



NOV. 10, 1936. EGLOFF 2,060,291

TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON OILS Filed June 28, 1950 TREATED VAPORSTREATING ZONE FURNACE l3 HEATING I r ELEMENT I4 as N l9 RAW-OFF 7 LINE 06 mm 9 a '1 TREATING 3 I We sow-now J (HYDROCARBON on.

INVENTOR GUSTAV EGLOF F ATTQRNE Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE TREATMENT OF HYDROGARBON OILS Application June 28, 1930,Serial No. 464,515

3 Claims. (01. 19635) This invention relates to the treatment ofhydrocarbon oils and particularly refers to the chemical treatment ofpetroleum oils to improve their quality.

This invention specifically provides for the treating of hydrocarbonoils such as straight run or cracked gasoline or gasoline distillates,kerosene, lubricating oils, etc., in the presence of a solution of zincchloride at elevate-d temperatures and preferably under superatmosphericpressure. Solutions of other metallic salts may be used e. g. thechlorides and nitrates, etc., of copper, aluminum, iron, etc.

In its preferred embodiment the present invention provides a process andapparatus wherein hydrocarbon oil is combined with a solution of zincchloride, the combined materials heated to the desired temperature andthence discharged into an enlarged zone preferably at a pressure lowerthan that employed in the heating element.

By means of maintaining a super-atmospheric pressure upon the heatingelement, any substantial vaporization of the treating solution may beprevented therein and, by means of a regulated reduction in thispressure in the enlarged reaction or treating zone, vaporization of acontrolled quantity of the water in the treating solution isaccomplished, thus bringing it to the concentration required for propertreatment of the hydrocarbons.

The attached drawing, which is diagrammatic and not drawn to scale,illustrates one of the many forms of apparatus suitable for carrying outthe process of the present invention. The oil to be treated isintroduced through line I and valve 2 to pump 3 and is thence fedthrough line 4 and valve 5 and line 6 to heating element l2. Thetreating solution supplied through line I and valve 8 to pump 9 is fedthrough line I 0 and valve H into line 6 and thence through heatingelement I2 together with the oil undergoing treatment.

Heating element l 2 is located in a suitable furnace l3 and the mixtureof oil and treating solution passing through this heating element israised to the desired temperature preferably under a pressuresufficiently high to prevent any substantial vaporization of thetreating solution. The combined heated materials leave heating elementl3 through line I4 and valve [5 passing to treating zone [6 which ispreferably maintained under a pressure sufiiciently reduced below thatemployed in heating element l2 to permit evaporation of a portion of thewater from the treating solution thus bringing the latter to the-properconcentration.

Fractionating means such as packing, bubble trays or the like, notshown, may be employed in the upper portion of treating zone l6 ifdesired and the treated or treated and fractionated vapors are removedthrough line H controlled by valve l8. Drawoff line I9 controlled byvalve 20 is provided for removing the spent treating material as well asany polymerization products from treating zone It. Reflux condensatefrom the fractionation of the treated vapors, if such a step isemployed, may also be removed through line 19 and valve 20 or may bewithdrawn through a separate line not shown.

Pressures employed in the treating zone may vary from sub-atmospheric tohigh super-atmospheric pressure to several hundred pounds per squareinch, but are preferably in all cases somewhat lower than the pressuresemployed in the heating element. Temperatures employed in this processmay range from say 100 to 1000 F., more or less, depending upon the oilto be treated and the desired results.

As a specific illustration of the operation of my process, given onlyfor the purpose of illustration and not to be construed as a limitationupon the invention: a 40% solution of zinc chloride in water is passedthrough the heating element together with a cracked distillate andraised to a temperature of approximately 400 F., under a pressure ofabout 100 pounds per square inch. Pressure is reduced in the treatingzone suflicient to permit evaporation of approximately of water in thetreating solution, thus bringing the concentration of the zinc chloridesolution to approximately By this treatment the pressure distillatewhich previously contained some mgs. of gum, a yellow color andobjectionable odor is refined to an end point motor fuel of 30 colorafter three hours exposure to sunlight, containing about 20 mgs. of gumand having no objectionable odor.

It will be understood that if desired, a concentrated treating solutionmay be utilized in the initial step, that is, in the heating element ofthe process, thereby necessitating no pressure reduction with aconsequent evolution of steam or water vapor in the treating zone. Itwill also be understood that fractionating means such as mentioned mayor may not be utilized and that subsequent well known treating stepssuch as water washing and neutralizing may follow that portion of theprocess illustrated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In the refining of hydrocarbon oils with aqueous solutions of zincchloride and like water soluble refining agents, the method whichcomprises mixing with the oil a dilute aqueous solution of the refiningagent in which the agent is of insufficient concentration to effect anysubstantial refining of the oil, passing the resultant mixture in arestricted stream through a heating zone and heating the same therein toabove the normal boiling point of water under sufficientsuperatmospheric pressure to prevent substantial vaporization of waterfrom the solution, discharging the heated mixture into a treating zoneand reducing the pressure thereon sufiiciently to vaporize such anamount of water as will concentrate the refining solution to thestrength required for proper refining of the oil, and removing andrecovering the purified oil from the treating zone.

2. A process for refining low boiling hydrocarbon oils of the characterof gasoline which comprises mixing with the oil a dilute aqueous zincsalt solution in which the zinc salt is of insufiicient concentration toeffect any substantial refining of the oil, passing the resultantmixture in a restricted stream through a heating zone and heating thesame therein to above the normal boiling point of water under sufficientsuperatmospheric pressure to prevent substantial vaporization of waterfrom the solution, discharging the heated mixture into a treating zoneand reducing the pressure thereon sufiiciently to vaporize such anamount of water as will concentrate the refining solution to thestrength required for proper refining of the oil, and removing andrecovering the purified oil from the treating zone.

3. A process for refining hydrocarbon oil which comprises mixing withthe oil an aqueous solution having a zinc chloride concentration of theorder of about 40 passing the resultant mixture in a restricted streamthrough a heating zone and heating the same therein to above the normalboiling point of water under sufficient superatmospheric pressure toprevent substantial vaporization of water from the solution, dischargingthe heated mixture into a treating zone and reducing the pressurethereon sufiiciently to vaporize approximately 50% of the water in thesolution, thereby raising the zinc chloride concentration of thesolution to approximately 80%, and subjecting the oil to the refiningaction of the thus concentrated solution in the treating zone.

GUSTAV EGLOFF.

